Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Maniacal Movie Poster Monday #108!
Unforeseen circumstances threw me behind with this post - so it's going up with just the three posters and no commentary from me - but again, don't get used to it - I LIKE nattering about these movies! (In other words, expect an invisible update on this post at some point)
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Saturday Night at the Movies 2/16/13!
Who cares what picture we see?
You just know Dick Miller is, so let's put on some paisley and watch this one!
I have loved this sci-fi/horror hybrid from the moment I first laid eyes on it on VHS many moons ago. It's got a pretty stellar cast - in addition to the ones listed on the poster, you get Barbara Crampton too! The Killbots (the movie's original title) look awesome, and director Jim Wynorski pulls off another kickass B movie!
This one recently got added to the video vault on a big multi-film DVD set that is apparently a full screen VHS transfer - but at least I have it to watch! And we could be doing just that little thing - if you want to come over - even tonight!
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
You just know Dick Miller is, so let's put on some paisley and watch this one!
I have loved this sci-fi/horror hybrid from the moment I first laid eyes on it on VHS many moons ago. It's got a pretty stellar cast - in addition to the ones listed on the poster, you get Barbara Crampton too! The Killbots (the movie's original title) look awesome, and director Jim Wynorski pulls off another kickass B movie!
This one recently got added to the video vault on a big multi-film DVD set that is apparently a full screen VHS transfer - but at least I have it to watch! And we could be doing just that little thing - if you want to come over - even tonight!
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
The Video Vault of Mora Tau 2/13/13!
This time out let's take a look at a pop culture phenomenon I discovered in the late 80's when my parents - in the throes of some middle aged crazy - chucked our life in Illinois and headed to the sunny clime of Florida for a fresh start.
I decided to go too - as I was still living at home. So we packed up and headed down to Florida in mid September. We stayed with my parents' friends in Auburndale, close to Orlando and Tampa. We were there for exactly 60 days - after which my parents decided Illinois was better and we headed back.
During those 60 days I watched 125 movies - and lots and lots of wonderful Florida TV. My goodness they had some great goofy television down there back then!
At that time a small restaurant chain was springing up in central Florida - Hooters - they served chicken wings and sandwiches and the wait staff was exclusively attractive women in a very iconic costume.
The owners of the business were pretty canny, and they hired a very attractive woman named Lynne Austin to pose for a picture they used on a billboard. So many people stopped by the original restaurant looking for her that they owners convinced her to leave her telephone operator job and come work for them. She waitressed and made public appearances for a while, then they added another feature to her job - Hooter's Midnight Movie - or Hooter's Night Owl Theater - which originally aired on WTOG channel 44 out of central Florida at midnight Saturday nights.
They shot a plate shot of a real Hooter's restaurant, then put one of the tables and stools in the studio in front of the green screen. Lynne sat on the stool at the table and it almost looked like she was really in the place. I'm sure this was a move necessitated by the thoughts of the tipsy Hooters' patrons wandering into shot constantly had they tried to actually shoot there! During the later incarnation of the show they actually built a small set to look like the restaurant, and stuck some extras in to make ot look more real.
They showed a fairly standard issue package of flicks, and Lynne hosted with bits before and after the commercial breaks. Eventually the show proved popular enough to move to Saturday afternoons - and was retitled Hooters' More Than a Movie and then Hooters' Movie of the Weak - as most of the movies were (according to them) pretty bad. The show ran into the 90's before Lynne retired in I believe 1993.
Here's four segments from that later incarnation...
I have some footage of an older episode - when it was still Night Owl Theater - along with the original opening credits sequence - stashed away on a VHS tape in the video vault. One day soon I need to transfer this stuff into digital form so I can post it. Florida TV in the late 80's was absolutely nutzoid - and I caught a pretty good amount of it.
I miss crazy local programming like this - there's not a lot of local flavor left when you travel now - the local newscast being about all that's left that's produced in or near the town you're in - you used to see scads of crazy local shows throughout the broadcast day. Now everyone has the same cable channels and something is lost.
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
Monday, February 11, 2013
Maniacal Movie Poster Monday #107!
The Wizard of Gore (Mayflower Pictures, 1970)
Fast Lane Fever (aka Running on Empty) (Cannon International, 1982)
I haven't seen this Ozploitation racing drama - but after watching the documentary Not Quite Hollywood I sure want to!
Ilsa: She-Wolf of the SS (Cambist Films, 1975)
Hat trick! This one is Nazisploitation! Another one I haven't seen - and I'm kind of sorry about that - as it would have been neat to rent from some local video store on VHS. I'll still check it out given the chance - but a cleaned up Blu-Ray is going to deduct slightly from the grindhouse charms this would have had on videocassette.
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Saturday Night at the Movies 2/9/13!
Who cares what picture we see?
My niece Sandra does - and as you'll see further down - that's reason enough to pick this one:
Even James Bond couldn't resist jumping on the Star Wars bandwagon - even after the previous movie had announced the next movie's title as For Your Eyes Only. Cubby Broccoli changed his mind after the fact and went with the only Ian Fleming title that in any way suggested space. (That the book was about a villainous attempt to launch a nuclear rocket at London and never went anywhere near space was beside the point.)
What we ended up was the most gloriously batcrap crazy 007 adventure ever - and its sheer size and audaciousness meant it never wore the crown of weakest series entry - that one went to The Man with the Golden Gun. The movie's excess also helped to bring 007 back down to Earth - literally and figuratively - when they did get around to making For Your Eyes Only as the next film after this one.
The reason this one was chosen as tonight's movie? Well, this weekend I'm actually in the middle of Crazy Movie Weekend: Bonding Over 007 Part One - per the request of my movie bud niece Sandra - as she is going to be travelling for work for a while and wanted to head out with another CMW under her belt. (Expect a full post on the weekend's activities sometime soon.)
We're starting with the 1954 live television version of Casino Royale - and going forward chronologically as far as we can get by Sunday afternoon - with a stop at the 1967 Casino Royale along the way. My hopes are that we will end the weekend with Moonraker - a 25 year trip through Bond history - and leaving us roughly the same amount of 007 flicks to go through for Crazy Movie Weekend: Bonding Over 007 Part Two when Sandra returns.
Moonraker of course resides in the video vault in the Bond 50 Blu-Ray set - so we could be enjoying a gorgeous viewing of all of its 1979 charms sometime this weekend - we're more likely wrapping up Connery and starting Moore tonight - but you're welcome to join us!
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
My niece Sandra does - and as you'll see further down - that's reason enough to pick this one:
Even James Bond couldn't resist jumping on the Star Wars bandwagon - even after the previous movie had announced the next movie's title as For Your Eyes Only. Cubby Broccoli changed his mind after the fact and went with the only Ian Fleming title that in any way suggested space. (That the book was about a villainous attempt to launch a nuclear rocket at London and never went anywhere near space was beside the point.)
What we ended up was the most gloriously batcrap crazy 007 adventure ever - and its sheer size and audaciousness meant it never wore the crown of weakest series entry - that one went to The Man with the Golden Gun. The movie's excess also helped to bring 007 back down to Earth - literally and figuratively - when they did get around to making For Your Eyes Only as the next film after this one.
The reason this one was chosen as tonight's movie? Well, this weekend I'm actually in the middle of Crazy Movie Weekend: Bonding Over 007 Part One - per the request of my movie bud niece Sandra - as she is going to be travelling for work for a while and wanted to head out with another CMW under her belt. (Expect a full post on the weekend's activities sometime soon.)
We're starting with the 1954 live television version of Casino Royale - and going forward chronologically as far as we can get by Sunday afternoon - with a stop at the 1967 Casino Royale along the way. My hopes are that we will end the weekend with Moonraker - a 25 year trip through Bond history - and leaving us roughly the same amount of 007 flicks to go through for Crazy Movie Weekend: Bonding Over 007 Part Two when Sandra returns.
Moonraker of course resides in the video vault in the Bond 50 Blu-Ray set - so we could be enjoying a gorgeous viewing of all of its 1979 charms sometime this weekend - we're more likely wrapping up Connery and starting Moore tonight - but you're welcome to join us!
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Tokin' in the Boys Room!
Dazed and Confused (Gramercy Pictures, 1993)
Before the Camera:
Jason London (Bad with Numbers)
Joey Lauren Adams (Chasing Amy)
Ben Affleck (Reindeer Games)
Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil)
Shawn Andrews (City of Ghosts)
Rory Cochrane (Empire Records)
Adam Goldberg (Saving Private Ryan)
Anthony Rapp (Road Trip)
Sasha Jenson (Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers)
Marissa Ribisi (100 Girls)
Deena Martin (Swingers)
Michelle Burke (The Coneheads)
Cole Hauser (A Good Day to Die Hard)
Christine Harnos (Hellraiser: Bloodline)
Wiley Wiggins (The Faculty)
Esteban Powell (Hitman’s Run)
Christin Hinojosa (The Love Bug ’97)
Parker Posey (Superman Returns)
Nicky Katt (Grindhouse: Death Proof)
and
Matthew McConaughey (Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation)
as
Wooderson
Also look fast for:
James “Kimo” Wills (Empire Records)
and
Renee Zellweger (Empire Records)
Behind the Camera:
Directed by Richard Linklater
Produced by Sean Daniel, James Jacks, Richard Linklater, and Anne Walker-McBay
Written by Richard Linklater
It is May 1976 and the last day of school in a small town in Texas. As the students hear the last bell until the fall, they head out to start a night of drama, cruising, romance, boozing, toking, and listening to great tunes. Although the movie is a true ensemble that moves across a dozen or more characters throughout the running time – the bulk of the audience identification is left to Randall “Pink” Floyd (London) and Mitch (Wiggins). Pink is about to start his senior year and is figuring out where his future lies. Mitch is an incoming freshman wanting to find a place to fit in. With various threads of storyline that mix, mingle, overlap, and play out in snippets – there’s really no other synopsis needed. There are good guys and girls, bad guys and girls, and a few characters who jump back and forth across the fence as the night goes on.
Director Linklater definitely presents a version of his own high school years here, with some compression and double examination as he has two sides of himself – the shy freshman and the more self-assured upperclassman - in the same movie, even interacting. But despite this conceit – this is a teen movie with the feel of truth about it. It presents the mid 70’s very well – with the fashions and vehicles providing the visual time travel, and a soundtrack full of classic songs from the time providing the audio time travel. Because Linklater works hard to keep the movie from sliding into parody – the movie is pretty low key. There are hijinks and shenanigans to be sure – but it never goes over the top. This makes it a fairly rare coming of age movie, and for that – plus the incredible amount of up-and-coming actors in the cast – all of whom deliver solid performances – this is a highly recommended flick for those so inclined. It is a little astonishing to realize this movie is now 20 years old – and even more to realize the day it shows is now 37 years in the past. Boggle! And check it out!
Let's Get Out of Here ?
At around 46:19 Esteban Powell wants his bud to put the girl down.
Eye Candy ?
There are scads of 70's cuties in the movie - and on behalf of all of them - we will add two to the list:
Welcome to the list, ladies!
Thank you Mr. Man - I sense puns at work there - and with that we are done. Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
Before the Camera:
Jason London (Bad with Numbers)
Joey Lauren Adams (Chasing Amy)
Ben Affleck (Reindeer Games)
Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil)
Shawn Andrews (City of Ghosts)
Rory Cochrane (Empire Records)
Adam Goldberg (Saving Private Ryan)
Anthony Rapp (Road Trip)
Sasha Jenson (Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers)
Marissa Ribisi (100 Girls)
Deena Martin (Swingers)
Michelle Burke (The Coneheads)
Cole Hauser (A Good Day to Die Hard)
Christine Harnos (Hellraiser: Bloodline)
Wiley Wiggins (The Faculty)
Esteban Powell (Hitman’s Run)
Christin Hinojosa (The Love Bug ’97)
Parker Posey (Superman Returns)
Nicky Katt (Grindhouse: Death Proof)
and
Matthew McConaughey (Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation)
as
Wooderson
Also look fast for:
James “Kimo” Wills (Empire Records)
and
Renee Zellweger (Empire Records)
Behind the Camera:
Directed by Richard Linklater
Produced by Sean Daniel, James Jacks, Richard Linklater, and Anne Walker-McBay
Written by Richard Linklater
It is May 1976 and the last day of school in a small town in Texas. As the students hear the last bell until the fall, they head out to start a night of drama, cruising, romance, boozing, toking, and listening to great tunes. Although the movie is a true ensemble that moves across a dozen or more characters throughout the running time – the bulk of the audience identification is left to Randall “Pink” Floyd (London) and Mitch (Wiggins). Pink is about to start his senior year and is figuring out where his future lies. Mitch is an incoming freshman wanting to find a place to fit in. With various threads of storyline that mix, mingle, overlap, and play out in snippets – there’s really no other synopsis needed. There are good guys and girls, bad guys and girls, and a few characters who jump back and forth across the fence as the night goes on.
 |
| The girls... |
 |
| The boys... |
Director Linklater definitely presents a version of his own high school years here, with some compression and double examination as he has two sides of himself – the shy freshman and the more self-assured upperclassman - in the same movie, even interacting. But despite this conceit – this is a teen movie with the feel of truth about it. It presents the mid 70’s very well – with the fashions and vehicles providing the visual time travel, and a soundtrack full of classic songs from the time providing the audio time travel. Because Linklater works hard to keep the movie from sliding into parody – the movie is pretty low key. There are hijinks and shenanigans to be sure – but it never goes over the top. This makes it a fairly rare coming of age movie, and for that – plus the incredible amount of up-and-coming actors in the cast – all of whom deliver solid performances – this is a highly recommended flick for those so inclined. It is a little astonishing to realize this movie is now 20 years old – and even more to realize the day it shows is now 37 years in the past. Boggle! And check it out!
 |
| In case you have trouble spotting her - here's one of the two non-speaking bits for Renee Zellweger. She walks through one other shot wearing the same shirt. |
Let's Get Out of Here ?
At around 46:19 Esteban Powell wants his bud to put the girl down.
Eye Candy ?
There are scads of 70's cuties in the movie - and on behalf of all of them - we will add two to the list:
 |
| Michelle Burke |
 |
| Christine Harnos |
Welcome to the list, ladies!
Buddha Man's Capsule Review
 |
| Buddha Man says "Dazed and Confused might really bowl you over if you watch it over at your joint...: |
Thank you Mr. Man - I sense puns at work there - and with that we are done. Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Maniacal Movie Poster Monday #106!
Homicidal (Columbia Pictures, 1961)
William Castle's "homage" to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho - but nonetheless a pretty cool knock off that I won't spoil here. The "Fright Break" gimmick is a pretty cost conscious one for Castle - probably the cheapest one he ever pulled off!
Hero and the Terror (Cannon International, 1988)
Another of the 125 movies I saw during those sixty golden days I spent in Florida in 1988. It's one of those handful of Chuck Norris movies that edge him close to horror movie territory - with Our Hero pitted against a hulking homicidal maniac (Jack O'Halloran). Any horror fans reading this who normally skip Chuck's movies - might want to check this one out...
Rocket Attack, U.S.A. (Joseph Brenner Associates, 1961)
I know pretty much nothing about this one - but man I love this poster!
Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)